DLA or WTC may go !!

System

50Twuncle wrote: »

But the money all comes from the same sources - taxes

Regardless what a government spends money on, be it benefits or Commons refurbishment it all comes from the same place - taxes. Governments only have that income stream to use

Cyberman60

Personally, I think all benefits should be taxed and means-tested, except for the state pensions which people have contributed to over their working lives.

If people have enough to live on without benefits then they should not get them. Benefits are for a safety net, not a feather-bed !!

benniebert

50Twuncle wrote: »

I don't want to be a scaremonger but the government may be considering making DLA/PIP a means tested benefit - not only dependant on income but also savings ...
And if DLA/PIP is lost - many could also lose Carers Allowance (because CA depends on receiving DLA/PIP. A total drop in income of at least £80 to £160 per week !!

This is going to hit many disabled people hard - because many have managed to scrape together a few £10's thousands during previous working careers to cover any eventualities later in life...

Why don't the government look instead at making (non disabled persons) WTC harder to get ?
I mean - not only means tested on income but also savings (ie if you have savings of over £17k - No WTC will be paid ?)

This of course will never happen - because the disabled are easier to deal with ......

Was it right that the likes of Cameron (Conservatives) and Brown (Labour) were able to access DLA?


Is it right that someone with close to £100,000 in savings should be able to access PIP?


Is it right that a couple where both are working and earning £100,000 each a year be entitled to each claim PIP?


I don't claim any - PIP/DLA/AA as I have no need for the money. I would be entitled to AA certainly.

Cyberman60

50Twuncle wrote: »

But the money all comes from the same sources - taxes
Maybe they need a radical overhaul of the whole system..

State pensions are an entitlement as they are based on years of contributions in NI while working.

No other benefits are contribution-based but are a safety net.

benniebert

Cyberman60 wrote: »

Personally, I think all benefits should be taxed and means-tested, except for the state pensions which people have contributed to over their working lives.

If people have enough to live on without benefits then they should not get them. Benefits are for a safety net, not a feather-bed !!

I'm glad that we almost agree on everything. I would go further and say that the State Pension should also be means tested.


As an example my late father, who died at 89 and who had claimed his State Pension since he was 65, saved every penny of that pension (his savings and added interest from this one source alone amounted to over £200,000 by the time he died). He had no need of it as he had also provided for himself and my mother, by way of a Civil Service final salary pension which represented a half of his highest annual earnings (40/80ths).
He/they used to holiday in Australia every year for four weeks staying with my aunt. He used to tell me that taking the cost of those trips into account he had more in his current account when he came back than when he started out.

So for some, ALL benefits MUST/SHOULD be means tested including the SRP.

benniebert

Cyberman60 wrote: »

State pensions are an entitlement as they are based on years of contributions in NI while working.

No other benefits are contribution-based but are a safety net.

Of course there are others.


You can get 6 months of contributory JSA and 12 months of contributory ESA.
Why then should the State Pension pay out for life?

NYM

50Twuncle wrote: »

So why do they not reduce or even stop paying a basic state pension to pensioners who retire with £millions / large works pensions ?
Because we have all contributed to the "pot" and many of us may not even make it to state pension age - so are just taking our withdrawl a bit early !!

The State Pension is taxable so they are still contributing to the 'pot'

50Twuncle

Looks like I have opened a can of worms then....

50Twuncle

blondebubbles wrote: »

What did you expect your post to do?

Exactly .....

robotrobo

benniebert wrote: »

Was it right that the likes of Cameron (Conservatives) and Brown (Labour) were able to access DLA?


Is it right that someone with close to £100,000 in savings should be able to access PIP?


Is it right that a couple where both are working and earning £100,000 each a year be entitled to each claim PIP?


I don't claim any - PIP/DLA/AA as I have no need for the money. I would be entitled to AA certainly.

Slightly off the subject a little , but people with £100,000 in savings & little or no income can also be non taxpayers as well!.